As a regular tradition, let us look at the fallout from the RAW episode. WWE posted a promo video announcing the return of former WCW mega star who recently stunned the world by defeating Brock Lesnar in less than two minutes at Survivor Series, Bill Goldberg.
It was announced that Goldberg will be making an appearance on next week’s RAW, which happens to be the first RAW of 2017. There has been no mention about whether Brock Lesnar would be making an appearance or not as of this writing.
As expected, Cody Rhodes was not very pleased with the segment involving Goldust, R-Truth, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, where the heels ripped off the head of a Dusty-Rhodes themed stuffed animal. He tweeted that he is not going to say anything mean or blow a whistle about it; but he hoped that whoever produced it may never know what it feels like to watch the promo as a son.
As seen this week on RAW, Braun Strowman is expected to face Sami Zayn in a last man standing match on next week’s episode of RAW.
WWE Hall of Famer, Jim Ross updated his blog on his official website where he shared his thoughts about AJ Styles. He believed that AJ Styles would be one of the WWE’s top baby face superstars.
This year’s final episode of SmackDown Live comes in from the Allstate Arena, Chicago IL.
As announced previously, 15 time world champion, John Cena makes his triumphant return to the ring and is going to kick off the show. As a norm, he gets a mixed reaction from the crowd; similar to the reaction the Rock used to get when he returned as ‘Hollywood Rock’. Of course, Rock had to turn heel then.
Cena starts off by addressing critics who say that he is washed up and a part-timer. He says that the newer generation of the WWE is called the my time is now era and issues an open challenge to the winner of tonight’s main event match to a match at the main event of the Royal Rumble!
Talk about kicking off the show with an impact. However, it is ironical that John Cena once complained about the Rock coming in and getting a title shot at the Royal Rumble and now Cena’s doing the same thing.
American Alpha vs Luke Harper and Randy Orton vs Rhyno and Heath Slater vs the Usos: This is a four-way elimination match and the tag team titles are on the line for the match as announced previously. The first elimination happens almost immediately after the bell rings when Heath Slater slips off the turnbuckle on top and Jey Uso hits him with a super kick.
He pins him for the three count. Slater and Rhyno both are eliminated from the match due to Slater’s pinfall. Gable comes in next and hits Jey with a T-Bone suplex and goes for the pin, but Jimmy breaks up the pin.
The Usos and the American Alpha all get into the ring and the American Alpha hit belly to belly suplexes on both the Usos. There are few pin attempts and reversals, after which Gable pins Jey Uso with the roll up and the Usos are eliminated. Orton comes in next and hits a power slam on Jordan for a two count and tags in Harper. Gable gets the tag as well. Gable connects with a hanging german suplex on Harper, but Wyatt distracts the referee, allowing Orton to lay out Gable. Orton gets the tag and he back drops Gable twice on the barricade.
Due to a miscommunication between Harper and Orton, Gable connects with a suicide dive on Orton to the outside after which Orton goes for a superplex on Gable, but Harper accidentally knocks Orton off the turnbuckle.
American Alpha double team and hit the Grand Amplitude on Orton for the win! The American Alpha are the new tag team champions!
After the match, Luke Harper and Randy Orton get into each other’s face but Wyatt separates them.
Dolph Ziggler is giving an interview backstage where he talks about his problems with Dolph Ziggler.
James Ellsworth is backstage in a neck brace and cast on his arm.
He says sometimes it brings him down that others make fun of him. Carmella interrupts and says that the interviewer is giving Ellsworth a hard time and that she finds him attractive. They walk off hand in hand.
Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch: The SmackDown Live Women’s championship is on the line for the match. Alexa seems to have injured her knee early in the match. Becky throws Alexa to the outside. Alexa pulls Becky to the outside and throws her into the ring post. Back in the ring, Becky comes back with clotheslines and kicks. She starts working on Alexa’s arm and hits a missile drop kick from the top rope.
All of a sudden some music plays and a woman in a luchadore costume comes running down to the ring and unties one of the turnbuckle pads. Alexa hits the forearm strike and knee drop post the distraction and goes for the Twisted Bliss, but Becky blocks the move. Becky locks in the Dis-Arm her and Alexa gets to the ropes. Behind the referee’s back, the woman in the costume pulls Becky into the exposed turnbuckle and Alexa connects with a DDT for the win.
Renee Young is backstage interviewing the Miz and Maryse. Maryse gets in Renee’s face for slapping the Miz from last week. As soon as Miz starts talking, Dean Ambrose sneaks up behind him and tackles him into the wall and pummels him. Ambrose fights off the security and walks off with one of the walkie-talkies.
AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin vs Dolph Ziggler: Due to the earlier attack on Miz, I guess he is not competing in the match. Corbin starts off the match and sends AJ and Ziggler to the outside. He continues the beat down on Styles on the outside before taking the action back into the ring.
Ziggler and Styles team up briefly to drop Corbin and immediately turn on each other with right hands. Ziggler goes for a tornado DDT on Corbin, but Corbin slams him down with authority. Corbin calls for the End of Days but Styles grabs Ziggler to block it.
Corbin throws Styles into the turnbuckle and throws Ziggler on top of him. Corbin drops the both of them with big boots and goes for the cover on AJ Styles for a two count. Ziggler and Styles team up again, and chop Corbin with rights. They double team and clothesline Corbin to the outside and follow him to the outside. Corbin fights them off and clears the announce tables of the TV monitors. Styles connects with a flying forearm off the ring steps and Ziggler super kicks Corbin. They lay him on the table. They get on to the fan barricade and connect with a flying leg drop and an elbow drop in tandem on Corbin.
Ziggler immediately turns on Styles and hits him with a Rock Bottom. He takes him back into the ring and connects with a tornado DDT. He goes for the cover but is able to get only a two count. AJ comes back with some offense and goes for the Styles clash, but Ziggler gets out. AJ goes for the phenomenal forearm, but Ziggler kicks the ropes and AJ falls off. Ziggler follows him with a super kick for a two count.
Corbin is back into the match now, and connects with the Deep six on Ziggler. He goes for the pin, but Styles breaks up the pin. Ziggler connects with the zig zag on Corbin for a two count. Corbin retaliates with the End of Days on Ziggler, but AJ knocks out Corbin with the phenomenal forearm and Styles pins Ziggler to retain his WWE World Championship.
Post-match, John Cena hits the ring. It is official now, it will be John Cena vs AJ Styles for the WWE World Championship at the Royal Rumble. Cena extends his hand to shake AJ’s hand. AJ shakes Cena’s hand and tells him that the WWE World championship is never going to leave his waist. They stare at each other as we go to the end of the show.
–End of show–
- Updated card for the WWE Royal Rumble pay per view - January 28, 2017
- WWE SmackDown Results – 01/24/2017 - January 26, 2017
- WWE RAW Results – 01/23/2017 - January 24, 2017
